Rational use of blood components — an audit

Abstract

The present study was designed to study appropriateness of use of the blood components in pediatric and neonatal wards. It was an observational study conducted in a tertiary care institute. The patients were selected from various pediatric subsections over a period of six months. All the patients below 12 years of age, who received blood components in any of the pediatric subsections including general pediatric wards, pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric hematology section, neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric surgery ward were included in the study. Each transfusion episode was assessed to decide whether it satisfied the predetermined criteria. Of the total 184 episodes of blood component transfusions, 153 (83.1%) episodes were appropriate and 31 (16.9%) episodes were inappropriate. Among these, fresh frozen plasma transfusions had highest inappropriate [18/41 (58%)] episodes followed by packed red cell transfusions [11/110 (35.5%)] and platelet transfusions [2/5 (6.45%)]. There was no inappropriate episode of cryoprecipitate transfusion. The present study reinforces the importance of blood audit in the clinical setting. Judicious implementation of guidelines for use of various blood products may help decrease the inappropriate use of blood components.